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More military members under investigation for their alleged support of protests

In total, nine members of the military have been identified so far as either allegedly taking part in protests or voicing support on social media.

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Military police are investigating two soldiers allegedly involved in supporting anti-vaccination mandate and anti-government convoy protesters as the defence leadership starts to crack down on such activities.

In total, nine members of the military have been identified so far as either allegedly taking part in protests or voicing support on social media. Military police have launched two investigations, National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier confirmed on Wednesday.

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He did not provide details on those police investigations.

In the other cases, investigations are being done by personnel at the unit level. Disciplinary action, up to removal from the Canadian military, could be the result.

Le Bouthillier said the Canadian Forces expects personnel to adhere to rules and established codes of conduct. A hallmark of Canada’s democracy is a military under duly elected civilian control, he added.

“Those who disregard these principles not only demonstrate an extreme lack of understanding of the military profession, they undermine the very foundation the Canadian Armed Forces,” Le Bouthillier said. “Any member of the armed forces who brings discredit to the CAF through either conduct or performance deficiencies, be it through actions or words, will be held accountable.”

Protesters in Ottawa want the government to remove the rules designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But other demonstrators have called for the overthrow of the Canadian government.

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Some of those being investigated are already in the process of leaving the Canadian Forces as they have refused the requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Last week, army officer Maj. Stephen Chledowski called on police and fellow military personnel to rise up against the federal and provincial governments over COVID-19 pandemic regulations. Chledowski, an artillery officer in New Brunswick, appears in uniform in a nine-minute video in which he accuses federal and provincial politicians of being traitors and suppressing the rights of Canadians.

The actions of Warrant Officer James Topp, a reservist from B.C., are also being examined. Topp posted a video noting he was marching to Ottawa to protest against the requirement for federal employees to have a vaccine against COVID-19.

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Disciplinary action has already taken place against a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force who recently went on Twitter in full uniform with a video supporting the Ottawa convoy protesters.

Two serving members of JTF2, the military’s elite counter-terrorism unit, are under investigation for allegedly taking part in protests in downtown Ottawa. JTF2 is the unit that would be called upon to deal with terrorism and at times provide protection for VIPs such as the prime minister. The actions of a third Canadian Forces member, who had served with JTF2 but is now assigned to the procurement section at the Department of National Defence, is also under scrutiny.

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Retired and serving Canadian Forces personnel were the ones who sounded the alarm about the serving JTF2. They allege some serving members have openly voiced anti-vaccination and anti-government views while at work at the Dwyer Hill counter-terrorism training centre.

An investigation into an Ottawa reservist who allegedly provided funding for the convoy protesters is also underway.

In May 2021, a Canadian Forces member who called on fellow military personnel to refuse to help with the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines was charged with an offence related to mutiny. It’s believed to be the first time in decades that the Canadian military has laid such a charge. A court-martial hearing will be held in September for that individual.

Officer Cadet Ladislas Kenderesi was charged with one count of “endeavouring to persuade another person to join in a mutiny,” an offence under the National Defence Act. Kenderesi was also charged with one count of behaving in a scandalous manner unbecoming of an officer.

Kenderesi will face a court-martial sometime in September, Le Bouthillier confirmed.

Kenderesi has said he was fully aware he could get in trouble for his comments, but added that he didn’t care.

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